Stacey Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Over the last week I've noticed my red crypts have started to look bad..... the leaves have appeared wilted, thin, shrivelled, and covered with fuzzy green algae. When I did a water change tonight, I pulled them out and there was really only a leaf or two left. The roots still look good. I've done a large water change, and cleaned up all the nasty looking plant bits. I don't understand what's going on here..... I picked these plants up at an auction several months ago, they've always seemed to do well. They've bounced back from when I had them in with Colombian Ramshorn Snails and they got almost entirely eaten...... they even do well in my brackish tank. Today, they look dead. :mad: I've picked off all the dead leaves and replanted them for now, hoping they'll come back....... The tank is a heavily planted 10 gallon, stocked with 6 Cardinal Tetras, and 1 baby Leopard Frog Pleco, plus several Malasian Trumpet Snails. For plants there is a large chunk of Java fern tied to wood, Java Moss tied to wood, 2 Banana Plants, some plant I've forgotten the name of, and those 5 decomposing Crypts. The tank has plain sand substrate, I've never fertilized. About 3 watts per gallon. Never used CO2. I do have a bubbler in there for water movement, the filter is pretty tiny. Recent additions are the Pleco and the Banana Plants, both of which I picked up at the March auction. During this time that the Crypts have been dying back, the Banana Plants and the tall, green, leafy plant have been growing like they are on steroids! The Java Fern and Moss are also both displaying good growth. Can anyone suggest an explanation for this sudden deterioration? I'm a plant idiot and would appreciate any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Crypts are fussy. If there are changes in their environment, they'll lose thier leaves. But, if you just leave them be, they'll grow back. As long as the roots are healthy, you'll have new leaves in no time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 I agree about some cryps being finicky... I had some bronze cryps in a 20 that was growing like mad... all of sudden half of it lost most of its leaves... like melted. About the only thing that had changed was the DIY CO2 had run out. It has since recovered... Only thing I did was fertilize the substrate and made sure the co2 was working... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werner Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 If you haven't made any big changes to the tank parameters, I'd guess it's a seasonal change in your water supply that brought it on. Sometimes they just melt and you never figure out why... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey Posted April 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Interesting..... thanks everyone. Although the seasonal change in water supply idea doesn't explain why the Crypts in the brackish tank are still doing well, unless the salt could somehow be buffering something...... As for the crazy growth of the Banana Plants and that other plant I don't know the name of, I'm thinking they were suddenly using up nutrients the Crypts needed........ Anyway, I'm going to experiment a little and switch out several plants between the brackish and the 10 gallon. I am glad to hear that you guys think the Crypts will come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Google "crypt melt". I've had this happen a few times, mostly when transplanting or moving them from tank to tank. The worst was I once had a 15g FULL of crypts and then for no reason(didn't move them, change schedual etc.) they all decided to melt and in about 1 week I had a empty tank. I removed all the dead leaves but left the roots and in a couple weeks all the plants started to come back. It sucked but atleast they eventually grow back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
African_Fever Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 I agree with Val. Crypt rot appears to happen for no reason what so ever, but if you just leave things alone and don't bother the roots, there's a good chance they'll come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 20, 2008 Report Share Posted April 20, 2008 I wonder if somehow crypts are plants like our outdoor plants, in certain seasons they will die off completely then come back again with new growth. Maybe they go through this phase too. Ya never know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacey Posted April 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Quick update: I left them alone as suggested, and they appear to be slowly coming back! :thumbs: thanks everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestorm Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 Great to hear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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